If you’re a reasonably intelligent person, two things are probably true: you socialize less than your peers, and you worry about whether or not that’s normal, sane, and acceptable.
Since they are more perceptive than the average person, as most of us already know, intelligent people tend to be more anxious than others and are also more likely to experience social anxiety. However, a study that was published in the British Journal of Psychology has shown that this frequently goes even further: highly intelligent people actually prefer their own company, and there’s a pretty intriguing reason why.
To start, let’s review what is known: the study explained that evolutionary psychologists have found a connection between frequent social interaction and decreased life satisfaction in people who are typically more intelligent. They conducted a survey of adults between the ages of 18 and 28 and discovered that those who frequented social gatherings with friends more frequently and those who lived in more densely populated areas reported lower levels of happiness.
The study puts forth the hypothesis that “savannah theory,” or the idea that the things that naturally make us happy are still true today just as they were at the dawn of civilization, is at the core of contemporary happiness. In order to move forward with their own, more fulfilling lives, smarter people are thought to be better able to adapt to the challenges of modern living. They are also more willing to “leave the group.”.
The bottom line is that intelligent people choose to socialize less because they do not require a sense of tribal belonging to find meaning in their lives. They are the ones who, given the option of “belonging” or pursuing their own interests, are most likely to choose the latter.
This means that, in accordance with this theory, our hunter-gatherer brains were perfectly suited to the way of life that prevailed then, when the population would have been smaller and we would have lived in groups of approximately 150 individuals each. For survival, social interaction would have been essential. Intelligent people are characterized by their capacity for adaptation. A superior human in the past would have been able to follow their instincts best; today, a superior human is best able to create their own future rather than simply following the group.
Self-reported happiness is frequently higher in smaller towns than in larger cities, a phenomenon known as the “urban-rural happiness gradient,” which supports this claim. This could be caused by a variety of things, but most likely it’s because people thrive in more intimate settings with real connections.
There is a sense of belonging and community in small towns. In contrast to feeling lost in the crowd in a larger city, you greet the same people when you walk out to the deli in the morning. Similar to a larger city, a smaller town places more value on who you are and how you interact with others than on your accomplishments or outward appearance. This is largely ignored by intelligent people in favor of their own interests, but the point is still valid: intelligent people (and joyful people!) thrive in a small number of close, sincere relationships.
